Life! Victory parade! Grandchild!

David, ready for some serious grandmamma hugs and snuggles

GRAND-BABY TIME! - I'm posting late this morning because I just got back from taking Rebekah to the Orlando Airport. She's heading to Connecticut for a timely few days of grand-baby snuggling. She's excited, Naomi's excited, I'm sure David's excited too - it's going to be a riot.

Yesterday afternoon/evening we were over in Dunedin for the installation service for Joy Laughridge, St. Andrew's new associate pastor. Rebekah was asked to preach and she spoke about how exciting it is to be fully engaged as Jesus followers in the context of a church that's committed to moving forward.

Rebekah used the following scripture from 2 Corinthians (14-16), and it's one of those times that Eugene Peterson's The Message translation really nails the passion and the emotion of living faith:

In the Messiah, in Christ, God leads us from place to place in one perpetual victory parade. Through us, he brings knowledge of Christ. Everywhere we go, people breathe in the exquisite fragrance. Because of Christ, we give off a sweet scent rising to God, which is recognized by those on the way of salvation—an aroma redolent with life.

Rebekah preaching in Dunedin, Sunday afternoon

MESSAGE: If anyone can talk about this passage and communicate the sense of "one perpetual victory parade" in a way that makes sense, then it's Rebekah. She told the church and visiting preachers present that their very reason for existence is to be that "exquisite fragrance," so that the truth of the Good News is undeniable. Do people watch us in action - as a church - and recognize the way of salvation? Are we "redolent with life?"

So today I'd like us to think about a couple of ways of sharing the Good News of Jesus during the coming week. How about telling the truth about the Gospel - simply by being? And then how about that idea of being "redolent with life?" Do you feel it bubbling over?

Something worth sharing!

COMMUNITY: I am so thankful that I am part of a faith community where the central value is new life in Christ. When Rebekah preaches, all she is doing is telling the truth about what she has seen and what she has heard.

Life, irrepressible!

We stand in Christ's presence when we speak; God looks us in the face. We get what we say straight from God and say it as honestly as we can. - 2 Corinthians 2:17